“EA IS THE WORST COMPANY EVER!” or that used to be the saying going around. Even when E3 was happening everybody would roll their eyes and scoff at the company, which used to deliver many interesting games in ye ol’ times, when nothing was a competition in everything with everyone, but more a time where everyone was enjoying the games that got delivered to which we popped in our machines and played all through the night by ourselves or with friends.

EA has had many good times and in recent years they had a difficult period trying to make a good show at E3. However, this time around they got to show off a bunch of cool games as well as revealing some new projects.

It was clear to me when the show was starting off that the CEO of EA, Andrew Wilson, was quite happy when he entered the stage. Just as he began to talk about what the conference would withheld for us viewers, I got excited since it’s a good opportunity to see what lies in store for us gamers the rest of 2017 into early 2018. That is why it was made clear from the get-go that Star Wars: Battlefront II was going to be the highlight of the show, but there would be some interesting glimpses of other games as well.

With that said, what games exactly was announced and what did I think of them? Well we are diving right into that, but before we continue, I would like to point out these are my opinion so it may differ from yours.

MADDEN 18

First up was Madden 18 and even though the official teaser trailer had come out about a month before, this time around we got a good look at a new thing called Long Shot. Much like the story mode in the latest FIFA 17 game which had a single player campaign, with was a full on story mode. It is now Madden’s turn to explore something similar.

It will be a story to follow the forgotten prospect, Devin Wade, who’s on the pursuit to hear his name be called on the NFL Draft Day. This game mode will also include playable choices like in FIFA 17, so I believe it will be interesting to see how good the story will play out. Normally I don’t play that many sport games, I still to this day can turn on my PS3, pop in good old FIFA 2003 and play for nostalgia. However, nowadays I enjoy watching NFL on the couch with a beer, wine or maybe just a cup of coffee toghether with my father and just enjoy a good game (that I honestly to this day still have less than 10% understood what the rules are).

Nevertheless, I will keep my eye out for when the game arrives at the game store, then wait for reviews and some streams before making my decision if I will get my second Madden game in over 18 years. Because I did have one way back on the PS1 but never played much.

Battlefield 1

Although the gane Battlefield came out last year to a very positive rating, which is still being played today because of the enormous fun factor and good dlc as well as updates that have seemingly kept the game fresh. It seems to get even better now with what looks to be the biggest expansion of the game so far.

It’s the Russian dlc that goes by the name of “In the Name of the Tsar” (yeah, I had to look up what it because we have seen, that things can sound cool name wise but have the stupidest meaning when translated…don’t worry, it’s good history to read). Here we enter the war’s biggest front with the Russian army in new maps, a new game mode and female soldiers to play as.

To be honest, while I never got Battlefield 1, the streams and videos was entertaining as hell to watch. It is once again the huge fun factor that plays a prominent role which I think this dlc takes to a higher level. It looks great and I do look forward to watch some more of it…who knows…I might get it so me and my friends can play together.

FIFA 18

When talking about FIFA 17 earlier, it didn’t suprise people to see FIFA 18 coming to light and while the game still looked approximately the same both mechanically, graphic wise and overall feel of what is a pretty good football game (sorry, I meant to say soccer but I’m from Scandinavia where it’s called football so that is why I will stick with). Though the thing that surprised me a little was that so soon after FIFA 17 with its postively achieved single player story mode, suddenly to see it is back only a little year after.

Don’t get me wrong the trailer they showed at E3 was interesting and made me chuckle a little to see that Alex Hunter is back. Premise of the story this time is apparently that, after a breakthrough during first season of Premier League, the world can’t stop talking about Alex Hunter and now he’s back for more in a second season.

Who knows it might be a better story or it might not be so good. However, I will look out for its reviews when it arrives September 29, 2017.

Need For Speed: Payback

NEED FOR SPEED IS BACK! Alright I admit that I love cars. Have been ever since I was a kid, there’s something fascinating to the sheer beauty of a machine it is. Its history as well development up until today. Sure I’ve always been more of a fan of Gran Turismo, but I have enjoyed a few of the Need For Speed games.

EA came out to show the debut of the gameplay trailer and it was pretty good to watch. It showed off how well the game performed in a new game engine, a new sleek HUD with less clutter and even taking some RPG inspiration with giving health bars to other cars.

The story is about you and your crew being reunited in a search for vengeance against a rival known as The House, a cartel that rules the city of Fortune Valley through casinos, criminals and cops. It sounds like a typical story, but it does look to be interesting and more interactive than the previous two entries in the Need For Speed games.

I look forward to try out this game and maybe get some of my friends to join in for a few rounds to prove who’s the better underground race driver.

A Way Out

After Need For Speed had has its time on the stage, EA suddenly revealed a completely new game, made by the developer of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, this new game is called A Way Out and from what was shown in the trailer as well as explained on stage by the game director Josef Fares. All I can say is this game not only looks really interesting but plays that way as well.

It’s a cooperative action game that is split screen only, which means that while you can play with a friend over the net. It’s recommended that you both sit on the couch and enjoy the adventure together, but who knows if its possible to play solo like Brothers were…in a way.

The story itself seems like a mixture between Prison Break and the all time classic Shawshank Redemption, where two guys who don’t know each other try to escape prison, while a personal journey unfolds before each other’s eyes as they play through the story together.

I want this game when it comes out, I got introduced to Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons by a friend where we played it together. Though the story didn’t impact me as much as him, the gameplay aspect was a joy to play and since it’s coming back, I can’t to try something like this again. Easily one of the games shown by EA to be my favorite at their conference.

Anthem

While only being a teaser as more would be unveiled at the Microsoft conference. This new IP from Bioware got a roar of excitement from the audience as it shortly played out.

I will go more into this game in the Microsoft conference as it is there the gameplay trailer was revealed with a more in depth look into how the game will be played out.

Nevertheless, it gave me a smile when it came forth.

NBA Live 18

Next up is just one more sports game before the big reveal and highlight of the show. NBA Live is back and this time around it will feature a new, campaign-esque model called The One.

This new game mode lets you play as a custom character (sorry, you can’t print your own head and use in the game…still need to be with sliders) who tries to make it big in the NBA: you can then specialize your character into whatever type of player you want. Not only that, but while it painfully uses heavy RPG elements and even go as far as using popular roulette of random loot items.
It does have the perk of being able to choose if you want to play professional or on the streets against popular basketball players.

I have never been a fan of Basketball or watched NBA at all, but I can see why it would interest those who do love this type of game. However, I will not get this game myself, but maybe check out some videos about it.

Star Wars: Battlefront II

Finally it was time to see how the new Star Wars: Battlefront game would be like and it was good to see that CEO of EA, Andrew Wilson come up to talk about the many faults the first game had, how they have heard the roars from the fans and are ready to tackle a new beginning in hopes to have the Battlefront game that mostly all would enjoy at launch and beyond.

I enjoyed the first game and saw that many of the mechanics was a welcome change from what I remembered in earlier Battlefront games. Though it did have many problems with being a little too fast, not being a game of strategy but more of who can shoot the other quicker for the better score at end game.
Yes it did have a lot of problems, but the one thing that the new photo-realistic way that DICE used to give both the look and sound of Star Wars was simply put exquisite.

Later a full blown multiplayer match was shown and there we got to see the many things that they have changed. No longer is there any random powerups being dropped as tokens around the map, you as a player had to frantically find before getting shot by the opponent. This time they are using a point system you use to buy powerups, vehicles or hero characters to use.
Flight mechanics have been immensely improved from before, where now you have more freedom to fly the airborn vehicle to do stunts and outmaneuver other attackers.

Not only that but it also has taken some inspiration from Battlefield 1 with having multiple rounds given how players do in the game. You can see the full match on this video to see what I’m talking about.

This game was second one from EA at their conference that I would like to buy at release, since I have always loved Star Wars, well more the universe than the movies per say. Though this game looks beautiful, it seems to play that way and I would be honored to be a part of the masses flocking on to the servers when the game comes out.

Overall thoughts

Overall I enjoyed EA’s conference. It did have some low points on the stage, especially when it came to the sport games. However, I was enjoying myself and from their lineup of games this year around into 2018, you can easily say that there are some I would love to try while others would have to wait until reviews have come out, before a decision has to made.

All in all this was a decent show they had, but it didn’t have the impact you wanted from them. Nevertheless it wasn’t too weak that I was falling asleep or rolled my eyes, in the hopes that it would be over sooner than later. Which makes me wonder how well they will do next year…

So what were your thoughts on the conference from EA? Did you enjoy it or was it a low point this year again? Tell me in the comments what your opinions are on this as it can make for good conversations.

Stay Cozy and have a nice day!

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Published by TriformTrinity

Gamer, blogger, Youtuber and lover of all film. A guy who loves to analyze stuff and from that, give his opinion about everything in form of news, reviews, simple commentary and occasionally chucking down his coffee while doing it.
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2 thoughts on “My thoughts on…EA conference at E3”

i found their show a bit boring. When it comes to press shows, I feel like the major console makers should be the ones to take the stage, and publishers can get their games shown in their somewhere. I felt a lot of the EA conference was showing battlefront multiplayer, but no way did it give me a feel for what it’ll actually be like, and if it’ll rectify any of the problems i had with the first game.
If EA was going to have shown more of anthem, then sure they have some case to showing such a big event, but in the end, that was only teased and it was pretty much only shown at the MS conference in the end.

Not all shows are for everyone but EA was as you say a little boring in their presentation. However it is true that while Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony are the giants we look towards when they enter the ring, trying to duke it out in the midst of fans’ minds (while really the companies are on pretty good terms with each other).
I agree that if they could have shown more than a teaser of Anthem it would have helped a lot more in EA’s case, sadly it wasn’t going to be so. Though I honestly believe that it’s okay for major publishers to enter the stage of E3, showcasing their games and what they have in store for us gamers in the near future, coming up with a few surprises here and there.
Yet if only they will keep it to a certain time schedule, so the major companies can use more to make a damn good show out of it. because that’s what it is in the end, a show that is set to entertain us in hopes we get excited for new games and occasionally new hardware.

Still thank you for the comment, this is the sort of things I like to see, as it sparks conversations between each other.